It's weekend so the chasse are out and about. They're not close today as I can only just hear the bangs, but I don't like riding out just in case I come across them, so I took Anky up to the school for a short in hand session.
She was quite edgy and distracted ( that's so NOT a surprise!!) but we did a little lead work and then some lunge work at walk and trot. She was quite full of herself which was good to see, and I really did want to see her moving as she's been well the last week or so and moving about so much better in the field. She was taking a longer stride in the walk and much less tight in her shoulder, and the transitions to trot and then back to walk were so much more fluid. Her physique is better also, she is losing the bloated belly and finally putting on some condition and topline, so, I am very much hoping we're finally getting there!!
I took Remy into the picadero and he was very calm and responsive until a group of cyclists( don't know if there is a collective noun for cyclists, perhaps I should say peloton as I'm in France!!!!) complete with lead car equipped with siren came past. He was quite worried about this, grew to a great height and started pawing and snorting. He then managed two or three revolutions at a lovely cadenced trot interspersed with the most beautiful canter. I let out the line a little and waited quietly until he came to a standstill, stock still, head in the air snorting. When he does something like this I realise what a big boy he is and I felt like a very little me stood on the end of the line. This doesn't worry me however and it was lovely to see him with so much presence, but,obviously I needed to get his attention and have him focus on me, so I walked from the centre of the circle and stood in front of him about 3 metres away (which was the only way I could get his attention without pulling on the headcollar), and asked him to come to me,which he did, so I started leading him around, changes of direction, halts, backing up until he was calm and totally focussed on me. All this was done on a loose line and I was so pleased that he'd refocussed on me so quickly and willingly.
3 comments:
Nice that you were able to get his attention back so quickly and so well, and that he was able to settle - that all bodes well for the future!
Cyclists here use the word pelleton. The spandex wearing crowd are always impressed when a mere mortal knows the chic terminology.
hey, you've been busy...glad you got motivated. Sounds like it all went well.
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